ROME: DEVELOPMENT AND SOCIAL COHESION IN THE MEDITERRANEAN
Development cooperation and immigration were a central part of the seminar "European Union and the Mediterranean: Employment, development, innovation and social cohesion", held in Rome on February 25 and 26, 2021.
Photo: Maria Pangaro
It was organized by EFAL and MCL, in collaboration with the Fondazione Europa Popolare, within the activities of EZA and IPCM, with funding from the European Union.
In the first session, we listened to Antonio Di Matteo, president of the MCL; Piergiorgio Sciacqua, as co-president of EZA; Sergio Silvani, president of EFAL; Barbara Barbuscia, territorial president of the MCL of Rome-Viterbo-Rieti; and Francesco Poli, ecclesiastical assistant of the MCL.
Vicenzo Conso spoke about the Mediterranean, a shared model and two shores in search of dialogue. Marco Boleo, economist of the ARBS group and member of the MCL, spoke about "Innovation, social cohesion and sustainable development on the European Comission's agenda".
In the session on cooperation and immigration, the president of CEFA, Raoul Mosconi, explained his work in North Africa and dialogue as a substantial element. For his part, Rafael Rodríguez-Ponga, president of the IPCM and rector of the Universitat Abat Oliba CEU of Barcelona, made an analysis of the challenges and opportunities of immigration in Europe and highlighted the importance of language and culture.
On the role of the EU and the Mediterranean, they spoke Massimiliano Salini, member of the European Parliament; and Giovanni La Via, general director of the University of Catania and former European parliamentarian.
In addition, the Spanish Carmen Quintanilla, president of AFAMMER and former deputy; the Greek Panagiotis Gkolfis, leader of DAKE; Cypriot Constantinos Eleftheriou, director general of DEOK; and the Croatian Vanja Gavran, a university professor.
The seminar was held in a hotel in Rome, but some participated online. Other IPCM members connected from various countries.
Cf. http://www.eupop.it/pages/news.cfm?news_ID=4006